Unexpected Freedom!
by G. Locket
Summary: "Since it's my last year, I think I'll try entering the freestyle, too." That's what he said, but this can't be right...


Hey everyone! This is the first fic that I've ever posted, so be nice to me and please review/fav :D

I don't own Free! (obviously :P)

The whole story is mostly written on my painfully small cell phone while I was sitting in a bus, but I managed to get it out. So here it is! Hope you enjoy! :)

* * *

**Unexpected Freedom!**

"_Since it's my last year, I think I'll try entering the freestyle, too."_

Now that there are only seconds until the start of the race, Makoto can't help but feel a bit intimidated. After all, he _is _competing against the two best freestyle swimmers he has ever met. Makoto takes a deep breath to calm his nerves and unconsciously slips on his usual smile.

_It's just for fun._

And fun it is.

He has always been awed at the amount of joy Haru seems to feel swimming freestyle. But it's only natural—Haru and water and free. The pieces fit together with no need for reasons or explanations. It's meant to be this way. However, Makoto never fully grasped why Haru is _so very _fond of competitive freestyle swimming. Racing next to Rin seems to bring a flicker of defiance into his usually calm demeanour.

Now, Makoto understands.

It feels different than competing in his own category. Since backstroke is his specialty, he wouldn't say that freestyle is better. It's just _different_. Makoto pushes himself for quicker strokes and faster kicks, sensing the athlete from the neighbouring lane gradually catching up. At halfway point, Makoto bends his legs and shoots off the wall, taking milliseconds to savour the feeling of water rushing past his sides. He wonders how Haru and Rin are doing. They are on the opposite side of the pool from Makoto, racing in adjacent lanes, as usual. Makoto urges himself to speed up, intending to finish the last leg of the race on a strong note. He gives one last surge, stretches out his arm, and slams his palm onto the touch pad.

It's done.

Makoto takes a long breath and peels off his goggles and cap, shaking his hair loose. His first freestyle competition took him a little out of his comfort zone, but it was a lot of fun. Makoto smiles as a monotonous voice begins to announce the results.

"First place…"

_So who will it be? Rin or Haru?_

"Tachibana Makoto."

_What?!_

He feels his eyes widen.

_Something must've happened._

Makoto whips his head around in alarm, oblivious to the words of congratulation from the boy in the neighbouring lane. He spots Haru at the other end of the pool, clinging onto the edge and coughing violently. Rin is at the 25-metre line, rushing towards Haru. Makoto dives back in without thinking.

This time the water isn't so smooth. It seems to push against Makoto as he tries desperately to reach Haru.

_Faster, I need to go faster._

But the water continues to push him back.

"_Don't resist the water. Thrust your fingers into the surface and carve an opening. Then you slide your body through that opening…"_

_Haru…_

Makoto forces himself to calm down and focus on each stroke, carving out and opening with his fingers and sliding through, again and again and again. The water accepts and embraces him, propelling him forward. Makoto mutters his thanks and promises to take care of the water's child.

He surfaces and sees Rin in panic mode, patting Haru on the back and asking what the fuck is wrong. Makoto hauls himself onto solid ground, runs to his friends, and holds out both his hands. Rin gives him a look and, without a word, starts to lift Haru out of the pool. Makoto grabs him and pulls him up, falling backwards under the weight and crashing onto tiled floor.

Ignoring the pain, Makoto cradles Haru and cushions the boy's head on his shoulder. Haru is still coughing violently. Makoto rubs slow circles on his back and whispers gentle words of comfort.

After a few minutes, Haru finally calms and sinks into Makoto's chest in exhaustion, gasping for breath. Makoto stares at his friend. He might be imagining it, but Makoto thinks that Haru looks so pale that his skin is showing a tinge of blue. A grimace mars his features and he looks like he's about to throw up. Makoto touches his forehead. It's burning.

"Haru… What happened?"

The boy only stares at him for a few seconds before letting his eyes close and his head roll into Makoto's chest, falling unconscious.

* * *

"Are you two Nanase Haruka's friends?"

Makoto's head snaps up as the doctor exits Haru's room.

"Yes we are!" two anxious voices chorus.

"Nanase-kun is—"

"How is he? Is he okay? What the hell is wrong with him?! It's nothing serious right? Did he know that he's sick? Why the fuck did that idiot swim even though he is sick?! What the f—"

"RIN!"

Makoto feels his cheeks colour in embarrassment at Rin's outburst.

"Eh… sensei… sorry about that. He's just worried."

"No I'm n—"

Rin's protest is cut off by a painful stomp on the foot from Makoto.

The doctor gives an understanding smile and waves off the apology.

"Nanase-kun is resting now. We'll keep him overnight but I doubt there will be any more complications."

Makoto lets his shoulders sag and breathes a sigh of relief.

"Thank you, sensei. Is he—"

"Makoto? Rin-kun?"

Makoto turns towards the voice and sees his mother rushing up the hallway.

"Okaa-san? Why are you here? Where are Haru's parents?"

"The tournament officials called me. Apparently Haru put me down as the emergency contact instead of his parents."

Makoto grimaces.

"Ah sensei, sorry about the interruption. I'm Tachibana Kazumi."

She extends her hand, which the doctor shakes gently.

"How is Haru?" the woman inquires with concern.

"He seems to have developed a case of bacterial pneumonia as a result of the flu, but we have it under control so he should be fine."

Makoto stares at his feet, silently berating himself. Haru was down with the flu earlier in the week, but Makoto thought he already recovered. He seemed a bit tired and pale this morning but, when Makoto suggested withdrawing from the tournament, he vehemently refused. Makoto didn't push, since this would most likely be Haru's last competition. But still, pneumonia is much too serious to be overlooked.

_I should've seen the symptoms…_

_And I should've forced him to withdraw from the race. I know it would probably be his last tournament but it's too dangerous! He could've—_

"Stop it, Makoto!" Rin whispers harshly, clearly irritated, "you're not his mom, damn it!"

Without waiting for a reply, Rin turns to the doctor.

"Is he awake yet? Can we see him?"

"No, and no. Like I said, Nanase-kun is resting now, and visiting hours are over for today. You can come back tomorrow morning."

"What do you mean 'no'? He's our friend! What the f—"

"RIN!"

This time it's Makoto's mother who puts an end to Rin's tantrum. The boy cowers slightly under her disapproving gaze.

"You guys should get some rest, too," the doctor smiles with amusement, "and put some clothes on."

Makoto looks down and blushes hard. Both he and Rin are still shirtless and barefoot, wearing only their swimming trunks. Makoto hears his mother chuckle.

"Well then, we'll get going. Thank you again and please take good care of Haru-chan."

Makoto bows and turns to leave. Walking down the quiet hallway, he notices something missing.

"Okaa-san, where are Rei and Nagisa and Gou-chan?"

"Ah… I asked your dad and Sasabe-san to haul them home along with Ren and Ran. They are probably still in our house right now."

Makoto nods.

"Rin-kun, would you like to come over, too?"

"Sure… I'll just pick up Gou…"

* * *

"… can visit him tomorrow morning."

Makoto finishes his explanation and a long silence follows. Nagisa is the first to speak.

"That's a relief… I'm sure in a few days Haru-chan will be as good as new!"

Makoto smiles at his optimism.

"Well then everyone!" Coach Sasabe's scruffy voice calls, "Haruka will be okay so off to home now! You've all had a long day."

Rin nods absent-mindedly and stands. An hour later, everyone has left and Makoto is lying in his bed, wide awake. It takes him forever to finally lose the battle to exhaustion. Right before falling asleep, he realizes that no one has thought to ask about the results of the race.

* * *

At seven in the morning, Makoto runs into Rin in front of the hospital.

"You look terrible…" Makoto comments with a slightly amused grin, eyeing Rin's dishevelled hair and dark circles.

"Look who's talking…"

They head up the elevator in silence.

While walking down the hallway, a nurse halts them and sends them back out, claiming that it's still way too early for a visit. Makoto stops Rin from throwing a fit for the third time in two days.

"Eh… so… want to grab a bite to eat?" Makoto asks rather awkwardly.

"… Suit yourself." Rin mutters and wanders off. Makoto doesn't follow. Instead, he heads to a convenience store, intending to get some breakfast. After staring at a sandwich for 20 minutes, he finds that he has no appetite and ends up sitting on a park bench for two hours, staring into space.

At nine in the morning, Makoto runs into Rin again in front of the hospital.

They head up the elevator in silence.

While walking down the hallway, the two come to a halt once more, steps away from Haru's room.

"What the…" Rin mutters.

Through the half-opened door, Makoto sees a tall figure looming over Haru, who is sitting in the bed, eyes downcast.

"I told you," the figure hisses dangerously, "don't get in Rin's way again. Ever."

"I'm sorry."

Haru's quiet voice sounds genuinely apologetic and…

…_Guilty?_

Makoto glances at Rin and as the boy's face morphs from confusion to understanding, then to an intense, predatory rage. Before Makoto can react, Rin charges into the room, roughly grabs the other boy's collar, and yells at the top of his lungs.

"SOUSUKE! What the fuck do you think you are doing?!"

On the bed, Haru's head bows as he begins to cough.

Recovering from the shock, Makoto rushes to his side and pats him gently on the back,

"Let me go, Rin," Sousuke replies calmly, "It's for your own good."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?! He's sick, god damn it!"

"Rin, why can't you see?!" Sousuke questions, voice rising, "He keeps getting in your way! You are better off without him. He is nothing but a hindrance to you."

Makoto watches in horror as the comment pushes Rin over the edge.

"_I_ get to decide what he is to me," Rin growls in a low voice, curling his fingers into a hard fist, "So stop fucking messing with him."

Rin pulls back his fist, muscles contracting as he loads up the punch, and—

"Ahem…"

Makoto gratefully eyes the stranger at the door, silently thanking him for his godly timing. The man is tall and broad-shouldered, carrying an air of confidence and intelligence. His deep voice is quiet but authoritative.

"I'm sorry for the interruption. Matsuoka Rin-kun, Tachibana Makoto-kun, I would like to speak with you, in private."

"And who the fuck are you?!"

The man appears unfazed by Rin's cussing.

"I'm Saiki Kenta, a scout for Japan's national swim team."

Makoto gulps and glances at Rin, who is wide-eyed and barely breathing. Makoto flashes Haru an apologetic smile and, in a daze, trails behind the man as he leads them into an empty conference room. They nervously sit down in two chairs across from the scout. A long silence follows.

"Who is he?"

"Huh?"

Both Makoto and Rin seem confused at the rather random question.

"The boy who is sick," the man elaborates, "who is he?"

_Oh…_

Makoto swallows and tries to respond as calmly as he can.

"Um… He's Nanase Haruka. He's our friend."

After a short pause, Makoto speaks up again tentatively.

"Are you perhaps scouting him?"

Makoto senses Rin tense beside him.

"Not exactly. I'm asking because, when you were rushing to him, your time improved by _four whole seconds_, both of you."

Makoto gapes in shock. It would normally take months or even years of training to reduce the time by four seconds, so—

"What were you thinking?"

_What was I thinking…?_

…

_Makoto forces himself to calm down and focus on each stroke, carving out and opening with his fingers and sliding through, again and again and again. The water accepts and embraces him, propelling him forward. Makoto mutters his thanks and promises to take care of the water's child._

…

He feels a blush spreading from his cheeks to the tips of his ears.

_Oh god… did I really try to _talk _to the water?!_

"Anyways," the man continues after their lack of response, "I won't go as far as inviting you guys to the trials, but I _would _like to take your times again."

Makoto snaps his head towards Rin, who seems frozen in shock.

_Rin… this is your chance…_

The man writes an address and a date on the back of a business card and slides it across the conference table.

"Well, I have to get going. I hope to see you again. Bring Nanase-kun along, too, if he is well enough by then."

Without waiting for an answer, the man stands to take his leave. Just before pulling open the door, he turns to the boys again.

"By the way, your friendship and sportsmanship is truly admirable."

* * *

Makoto adjusts his grip on the starting block and takes a deep breath. Scouts from Japan's national swim team are about to take his time for the 50-metre backstroke, but he isn't at all intimidated. All he wants is to feel the water rushing past his skin.

At the shrill sound of the whistle, Makoto kicks off with a smile, not feeling even a hint of uncertainty because, on the other side, Haru is waiting.


End file.
